In 1940, the Katyn Massacre saw around 22,000 Polish officers, soldiers, and policemen brutally murdered by Soviet authorities. Stalin’s regime ordered the execution without trial, leaving families shattered.
Execution Orders
The massacre unfolded in stages, with camps like Kozelsk, Starobielsk, and Ostashkov witnessing systematic killings. Thousands were shot in locations like Katyn, Kharkiv, and Kalinin, their bodies buried in unmarked graves.
Legacy of Silence
For 50 years, the truth remained buried, a painful wound for Poland and the world. The official confirmation of NKVD’s role in the genocide came decades later, but the scars endure, a reminder of the atrocities of war.